Eurovision: The singing contest is a fascinating reflection of international rules and politics

As in international law, sometimes Eurovision rules can be stretched. Paul James Cardwell and Jed Odermatt explain their parallels

Luke Black performing for Serbia at the Eurovision semi-final dress rehearsal at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool on Monday. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA

The Eurovision bandwagon has firmly arrived in Liverpool. 

The event started last night with the first of two semi-finals which aim to whittle 37 competitors down to a 26-song finale, taking place on Saturday. Around 160 million people will tune in to the grand final.